USS Nashville (PG-7), a gunboat, was the only ship of its class. It was the first of three ships of the United States Navy to hold the name Nashville.
Construction and commissioning
Nashville (PG-7) was laid down on 9 August 1894 by Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company at Newport News, Virginia. She was launched on 19 October 1895, sponsored by Miss Emma Thompson, and commissioned on 19 August 1897.
Service history
Pre-commissioning
The contract to build Nashville was awarded on Jan. 22, 1894, the first Navy construction contract won by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company.
The ship's originally planned sponsor was Miss Maria Guild, daughter of Nashville, Tennessee Mayor George Blackmore Guild. While Mayor Guild's party was en route to the christening ceremony, word was received that William Guild, Mayor Guild's son, was accidentally shot and killed. The party turned back immediately. Miss Emma Thompson, also from Nashville, christened the ship, with Joseph E. Washington standing in for Mayor Guild.
Spanish–American War
Upon commissioning, Nashville joined the North Atlantic Fleet. As the Spanish–American War became imminent after the sinking of the armored cruiser , she was ordered to the Caribbean. She captured four Spanish vessels between 22 April and 26 July 1898, and assisted in cutting the undersea telegraph cable just off Cienfuegos, Cuba Nashville remained on duty off Cuba until the war's end in August 1898. She returned to Boston on 18 June and decommissioned on 30 June.
After extensive overhaul and sea trials, she departed Boston on 7 January 1912, arriving Santo Domingo on 31 January to begin five years of patrol operations in the West Indies and off Central America, protecting United States interests. The ship participated in the United States occupation of Veracruz, proclaimed in April 1914 by United States President Woodrow Wilson, against the Mexican government of Victoriano Huerta. After a short period of reduced commission status from 10 May-8 July 1916 in New Orleans, the gunboat returned to Tampico, Mexico, where she remained until the U.S. entered World War I on 6 April 1917.